"...An undisclosed number of the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) jets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VFMA) 121 currently stationed in Japan have been deployed to the USS Wasp amphibious assault ship to undertake final preparations ahead of the unit’s first shipborne deployment...."

"...Six F-35Bs from the “Green Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 landed on the deck of amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) as part of the Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit Western Pacific patrol....

...The addition of the F-35 to the Navy’s amphibious fleet has the promises of greatly increasing the capability of ARG/MEUs to wage high-end war. For example, as part of the Navy’s Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) construct, Marine F-35s could provide targeting information of enemy ships and aircraft to attached destroyers in an ESG. In 2016, Lockheed Martin proved that a ship-launched Raytheon Standard Missile 6 could be cued from the sensors on an F-35.

While not as capable as a full-sized carrier strike group, an upgunned ESG would have more lethal capability on its own than previous amphibious deployments. Forces in the Western Pacific have been experimenting with non-traditional surface group deployments in last several years.

A second F-35B squadron, the Avengers of VMFA-211, is set to deploy from the West Coast aboard USS Essex (LHD-2)."

"Lt.Gen Rudder USMC: ...VMFA-121 is permanently stationed in Japan and has assumed the 31st MEU and F/A-18 UDP commitments. The squadron deploys six aircraft with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) this week – the first operational F-35 shipboard deployment. Our second F-35B squadron, VMFA-211, deploys six aircraft to the 13th MEU this July; we will have two MEUs deployed with the F-35B this summer...." HASC 07 Mar 2018 http://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS25/ ... 180307.pdf (135Kb)

HCS-25’s Detachment 6, based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, met with pilots and aircrew of VMFA-121 to share expertise on close air support procedures and interoperability to support the Expeditionary Strike Group.

The ‘Island Knights’ and VMFA-121 are slated to embark together aboard the USS Wasp (LHD 1) for a scheduled patrol, which will be the first time F-35Bs deploy aboard a US Navy ship in the Seventh Fleet area of operations...."

The Marine Corps is all about mission accomplishment and self-reliance. In boot camp, Marine recruits are taught to have a “‘figure-it-out’” mindset, and 3-D printing is the next step for a Corps that prides itself on its self-sufficiency.

“Finding innovative solutions to complex problems really does harken back to our core principles as Marines,” Willis said. “I’m proud to be a part of a new program that could be a game-changer for the Marine Corps.”

The Marines deployed here use their 3-D printer as an alternative, temporary source for parts. As a permanently forward-deployed unit, it’s crucial for the 31st MEU to have access to the replacement parts it needs for sustained operations. The 31st MEU’s mission -- to deploy at a moment’s notice when the nation calls -- is not conducive to waiting for replacement parts shipped from halfway around the world. So 3-D printing capabilities dovetail with the MEU’s expeditionary mandate.

‘Fix it Forward’

“While afloat, our motto is, ‘‘Fix it forward,’” said Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Rodriguez, CLB-31’s maintenance officer. “3-D printing is a great tool to make that happen. CLB-31 can now bring that capability to bear exactly where it’s needed most -- on a forward-deployed MEU.”

Proving this concept April 16, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 successfully flew an F-35B Lightning II aircraft with a part that was supplied by CLB-31’s 3-D printer. The F-35B had a plastic bumper on a landing gear door wear out during a recent training mission. Though a small and simple part, the only conventional means of replacing the bumper was to order the entire door assembly -- a process that’s time-consuming and expensive.

Using a newly released process from Naval Air Systems Command for 3-D printed parts, the squadron was able to have the bumper printed, approved for use and installed within a matter of days -- much faster than waiting for a replacement part to arrive from the United States.

“As a commander, my most important commodity is time,” said Marine Corps Lt. Col Richard Rusnok, the squadron’s commanding officer. “Although our supply personnel and logisticians do an outstanding job getting us parts, being able to rapidly make our own parts is a huge advantage.”

VMFA-121 also made history in March as the first F-35B squadron to deploy in support of a MEU...

VFA-115April 4The opportunity to conduct operations with co-located US Marine Corps tactical aviation units has been one of the major benefits of our move to MCAS Iwakuni. These photos show one of our recent sorties with F-35B Lightning IIs assigned to the "Green Knights" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121. US Navy photos by LT Steve Bachman.

"After less than a year in Japan, the amphibious warship USS Wasp (LHD-1) is preparing its sailors to return to the East Coast next year, USNI News has learned. Wasp, one of two amphibious warships certified to operate Marine F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters, is set to return to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., in late 2019 as part of a previously set plan to balance the F-35B capability across both coasts, a defense official confirmed to USNI News.

A U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesperson confirmed the ship would eventually move to Norfolk but would neither provide a timeline for the move nor what ship would replace Wasp, citing a Pacific Fleet policy of not discussing future ship movements. “We don’t have any additional announcements on homeport shifts at this time,” Lt. j.g. Rachel McMarr told USNI News....

...USNI News understands the Navy is committed to have a F-35B-capable amphibious assault ship operating in Japan to support the forward-deployed JSFs of the “Green Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121.

Of the nine big-deck amphibious ships in the U.S. inventory, only Wasp, the currently deployed USS Essex (LHD-2) and USS America (LHA-6) have launched and recovered Marine F-35Bs at sea. USS Makin Island (LHD-8) began an availability last year that would upgrade the ship to operate the fighters, USS Boxer (LHD-4) underwent a similar maintenance availability that completed in 2017 and Bonhomme Richard is set to start a maintenance period that would add that capability to the big deck...."